The typical hybrid, electric, or alt-energy car has all the looks and styling of an aerodynamic can of peas. Well there’s a new kid on the automotive block and he’s a fast talking sprinter. Meet the Tesla Roadster. This is not a prototype at some carshow in Dubuque; this vehicle is on sale now for delivery in the fall. In fact, its first production run is already sold out. Testing is on-going so some of the boasts below may be further refined. Still pretty impressive. At a base price of $92,000 this may be more a Brad Pitt or Cameron Diaz accessory than an Ed Begley or Daryl Hannah practical set of wheels.

• 135 mpg equivalent or about 1-cent per-mile
• 0 to 60 in around 4 seconds – not necessarily for mom
• a top speed of 130 mph – Ed Begley probably doesn’t need all this horsepower
• 250 miles on a charge – about that of the Honda Civic GX natural gas car
• no clutch just instant response with a simple engine and powertrain
• charges overnight or as quickly as 3.5 hours – plugs into any outlet

get more info @ Tesla Motors

Carbon dioxide emissions are the leading cause of global warming. REI Adventures is the first travel company to automatically offset the global warming impacts of its entire catalog of trips — including air travel to and from the trip destination. Although I don’t believe that buying carbon offsets is a solution to our big picture problems, if you’re trying to figure out how to travel on holiday with less guilt over the big carbon footprint, REI might be just the ticket for you.

Outdoor retailer Recreational Equipment, Inc (REI) and its adventure travel company, REI Adventures are partnered with Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) to compensate for the greenhouse gas impact of all REI Adventures trips and REI Outdoor School outings. BEF is a leading nonprofit environmental foundation that markets green power products, and funds new renewable energy projects.

Here’s the deal: (more…)

• Some like it hot. Urban ants handle global warming – livescience
• How could anyone question the findings of the TCPR…the who? Political action group questions Gore’s greenness – ap/msnbc
• “Open wide and say ahh”. Researchers take poles’ temperature – enn
• Bye-bye incandescent bulb…part 1 – cs monitor

With all the new, earth-friendly cleaning products on the market now, I decided to try something new when I ran out of distilled vinegar yesterday — so I picked up Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Window Spray with Lavender Scent. The 20 oz spray was $8.99 at Ricky’s. It smells great, works well, has a nice nozzle, is ammonia-free and biodegradable — a definite thumbs up.

Order directly from mrs.meyers.com and the same item costs only $4.99, plus shipping. Shipping originates in Minneapolis, and you are charged exactly what UPS charges them. Just an FYI — for an additional fee, Mrs. Meyers also offers to gift wrap your purchases.

On their site, you can choose from their 3 signature fragrances — essential oils of lemon verbena, geranium or lavender. I wanted to (more…)

Will the recently elected Democratic Congress have the cojones to pass tighter carbon emissions restrictions for utility companies? How about a carbon tax as a stimulus for change? The sale of power companies like TXU in Texas to greener ownership is a tremendous step in the right direction, but tougher emissions legislation is still needed. The technology to trap the carbon emissions from power plants exists, but it’s expensive. The question is economics. Can power companies upgrade existing plants and make emissions from new plants cleaner? The answer is yes. But will the economic or legislative motivations be there for the plants to do so? Maybe. Will consumers pay a little more for clean power…time will tell.

Midwestern power companies spew harmful emissions containing mercury, sulphur and sulfuric acid (acid rain) onto downwind states in the northeast in clear violation of the existing Clean Air Act. Moves by the Clinton administration to hold power companies to the letter of the law have been subverted and undermined by the Bush administration. Does Congress have the will and the votes to cleanup the emissions mess if the cost of doing so hits the American voter in the pocketbook? We’ll see. Never forget the propensity for politicians to avoid tough decisions.

Let them know how you feel.

Here’s a great site to use if you want to let your local, state, or federal representatives (including the prez) know how you feel about an issue. By taking some action you just might feel better. Cough!

send your legislator a message @ Congress.org

find more on carbon taxes @ carbontax.org

I just discovered Organic Spa magazine which debuted in January, and I love it! Covering the Big 4 areas of life: At Home, At Work, At Play and At Rest — all things organic.

Former advertising director of American Spa, Bev Maloney-Fischback and Mary Bemis, creator of insidersguidetospas.com partnered to form Organic Spa, a quarterly magazine that promotes a healthy lifestyle. Bev, publisher and Mary, editor-in-chief distribute this glossy in print or via the internet.

An annual subscription for this quarterly costs $12.95 for print, $9.95 for digital and $16.95 for both.

View every page of the latest issue @ organicspamagazine.com

I adore the neckline of this men’s vintage vest, re-fit for the feminine form. The cool color of this casual piece will carry you right through spring. Catch it at envi, where lots of eco-designer winter wear is drastically reduced — was $89, now $53. shop @ envi.com.

Beauty Junkies Beware — I was recently turned on to the bella lucce beauty collection of bath and body products, and they are seriously addictive.

There’s pampering and then there’s delicious pampering, with bella lucce. Filled with natural and organic ingredients: honey, red wine, Peruvian chocolate, olive oil, crushed grape seeds, peppermint and orange essential oils, avocado, mango, pineapple, cranberry seeds, organic shea butter and coconut oil — perfect potions for seriously delicious pampering.

The Tuscan Wine Therapy Collection is infused with real red wine, blackberry fibers and grape seed extract. My skin simply drank in the natural goodness, head to toe. The Mediterranean Wine and Honey Masque left my skin silky smooth, the Chianti & Grape Seed Crush contains so much oil you have to watch your step in the bath or you could slip, and the Bacchus Body Oil is the ultimate in divine decadence.

I’m hooked. Indulge at your own risk, bellalucce.com

• Has anyone seen my honeybees? Honeybees vanish, leaving keepers in peril – nytimes

• I’ve always wondered what a sea squirt looked like. Thirty strange creatures have been discovered in Antarctic waters – livescience.com

• When the federal government has its head in the sand… five western governors sign emissions agreement – ap/yahoo! news

• Can cell phone ringtones save the Mexican wolf? The Center for Biological Diversity is offering nature ringtones to raise awareness – enn

Shed some light on the subject, anytime and anywhere. Never worry again about whether you’ll have light when you need it with this simple, rugged and reliable, flashlight. The Freeplay Kito flashlight never needs replacement batteries or a bulb!

• Flashlight requires no batteries; simply wind it up for all the power you need — 60 seconds of winding provides an hour of light

• Plus, you can rewind at any time; the winder works in both directions, and the harder you crank the more energy you create

• LED lamp provides excellent brightness and shine time; enjoy the peace of mind that it will never burn out

Help the environment and light your way.

$19.99 in bright blue or yellow, @ energyfederation.org

The search for renewable sources of energy and the technologies to harness them is going on worldwide. One such project underway in the UK is quietrevolution ltd, who is developing a small wind turbine for the urban environment that is quiet, efficient and pleasing to the architectural eye.

Urban, or built-up environments, create wind turbulence which can negatively effect a wind turbine’s performance. The ubiquitous horizontal axis, propeller-type turbines can have their efficiency greatly reduced by changes in wind direction and turbulence. This is a primary reason for opting for a vertical axis wind turbine, a design that doesn’t require physically rotating into the wind every time wind direction changes, wasting valuable energy.

Using real wind data, the designers of the QR5 have shown that it produces 20% – 40% more energy than a conventional, similar-sized, horizontal wind turbine, in a typical urban location — near buildings or where the wind is turbulent.

This technology and design appear to have great potential.

learn and see more @ quietrevolution.com

Something to try when next in LA: Throw a GreenBliss EcoSpa party — all-organic — from the skincare products to champagne, light snacks and robes! Choose from an extensive menu of massage and treatments — facials, scrubs and reflexology and consider a yoga session or astrology reading to begin or end the soiree. Relax, detox, rejuvenate — you set the tone of the spa party, they set the table — what bliss!

Wellness Party Planner Randi Ragan, formerly a doc-filmmaker and writer, spent over 10 years as a yoga and spiritual retreat leader, counseling industry leaders in top spas and retreat centers in Southern California, Hawaii and Mexico. Combining her interest in eco-issues and natural health, and together with her massage therapist husband, Richard, GreenBliss EcoSpa was born. They and their staff are at your service whether you are in your home, or in your hotel accommodation. Cool way to celebrate a birthday, wedding shower or just because.

Randi and Richard support sustainable lifestyle choices, driving diesel cars fueled by vegetable oil and “greening up” their LA home for the past 4 years. GreenBliss EcoSpa party fees depend on services; select from their menu, and check out their product ingredients as well. Sweet!

• Combine heavy rains, underground streams, and sewage leaks and you have the recipe for a giant sinkhole. 2 killed in Guatemala City sinkhole collapse – ap/yahoo! news

• We know Al Gore nailed an Oscar, but this financial news story may be the most important green news of the day. TXU buyout deal has many shades of green – NYT

• In the wake of the death of 6 pilot whales in recent months, the Spanish Government is starting to take action. Spain tells ship to avoid whales – bbc